Combined protective barrier and burglar alarm

Claim 1

A protective barrier for mounting to a structure to cover an opening therein, comprising: a plurality of slats mounted to said structure at one end of said opening and extending in spaced parallel relationship towards the opposite end of said opening; two groups each including a plurality of flexible cords extending at right angles to said slats along opposite sides thereof, said flexible cords being interwoven between said slats for securing them in said spaced parallel relationship but permitting them to be pivotted to open the slats and to be moved towards one end of the opening to open the barrier; at least some of said flexible cords including metal wires serving to securely hold the slats together and also to serve as electrical conductors; each of said groups of flexible cords being of yarn only some of which include said metal wires in a manner so as not to be readily distinguishable from those yarns which do not include metal wires; circuit means including said metal wires establishing an electrically-conductive pathway through the length of said barrier; means for supplying electrical power to said electrically-conductive pathway; an end member secured to the structure along said opposite end of the opening therein; mating retaining means carried by said end member and one end of the barrier mechanically retaining the barrier in its closed position covering said opening; circuit interrupting means effective, when the barrier is retained in its closed position, to establish electrical continuity in said electrically-conductive pathway through the length of said barrier, and when moved from its closed position to interrupt said electrical continuity; a signalling device actuated by an interruption in said pathway caused by the severance of said metal wires in the barrier or by the actuation of said circuit interrupting means.